After participating in all 14 seasons of the Indian Premier League (IPL), South Africa’s veteran batter Faf du Plessis has this time decided to opt out of the tournament. He will be not be registering for the IPL 2026 auction, scheduled to take place in Abu Dhabi on December 17.
Why Faf du Plessis has pulled himself out of IPL 2026 auction?
In an official statement on his social media handles, du Plessis confirmed he has decided not to register for the IPL 2026 auction and will instead play the 2026 season of the Pakistan Super League (PSL). He described the move as a chance to experience a different league, conditions, and environment, calling it an “exciting step” for his late-career phase. The 41-year-old has previously featured briefly in the PSL, and now plans a full-season stint there.
Du Plessis said that after playing in every season of the IPL, he felt it was the right time to step back from the tournament this year and reflect on what the league has meant to him. He thanked franchises, teammates, coaches and fans, calling the IPL a “massive part” of his journey and stressing that India holds a “special place” in his heart, while adding that “this isn’t goodbye” and he hopes to be seen in the league again in future.
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Du Plessis’s IPL stats
The decision also comes on the back of a modest IPL 2025 with Delhi Capitals (DC), where he scored 202 runs in nine matches at an average around 22 and was not retained ahead of the 2026 mini-auction. With age, recent returns and team strategies all weighing in, he chose not to test the auction market this year, avoiding the possibility of going unsold while redirecting his focus fully to PSL opportunities.
Faf du Plessis (PC: X.com)
Overall, Du Plessis has amassed 4,773 runs in 154 IPL matches, boasting an average of 35.10 and a strike rate of 135.79, with 39 fifties but no centuries – his highest score being 96. The Proteas star delivered standout seasons like 730 runs in 2023 for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (average 56.15, SR 153.68, 8 fifties) and 633 in 2021 for Chennai Super Kings (average 45.21, SR 138.21, 6 fifties). He contributed 2,721 runs for CSK across multiple stints, including IPL titles in 2012 and 2021, before leading RCB’s batting from 2022-2024 with 1,636 runs (730 in 2023 his peak). Released by Delhi Capitals post-2025, du Plessis holds no IPL bowling wickets (0/16 best) but excels in fielding with 85 catches.
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